Grooved panel and fixture combination



NOV. 4, 1969 J PACE GROOVED PANEL AND FIXTURE COMBINATION Filed April24, 1968 m2 05 FIG. 11. /04

//v VEA/TOR EDWARD J. PA CE 5y Ms A 770RA/E rs HAEE/ 5, K/gcfi, RUSSELL& Ka e/v United States Patent O us. or. 248-216 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A fixture for attachment to a vertically grooved wall panel,or to a grooved ceiling panel. The fixture includes a generally fiat,elongated supporting plate having a width less than the width of thegroove and a length greater than the width of the groove, whereby theplate may be inserted into the groove while oriented longitudinallythereof, and whereby the plate maythen be rotated about an axisgenerally perpendicular thereto to cause the ends of the plate to embedthemselves in the side walls of the groove. In the ceiling fixtureversion, this results in so orienting the supporting plate that one sidethereof faces generally downwardly to provide a large bearing area. Inthe wall fixture version, the supporting plate, as a final step ininstallation, is angularly displaced about an axis extendinglongitudinally thereof until one side of the plate faces generallydownwardly to provide a large bearing area also. In either version, theload to be supported by the plate engages a load carrying memberconnected to the supporting plate by a shank member projecting from thegenerally downwardly facing side of the plate.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION The present invention relates in general tofixtures for attachment to grooved panels, or the like. Moreparticularly, the invention relates to a wall fixture for attachment toa wall or wall panel provided with outwardly facing vertical grooveseach having an outwardly facing inner wall and two spaced side walls,and to a ceiling fixture for attachment to a ceiling or ceiling panelprovided with downwardly facing horizontal grooves each having adownwardly facing inner wall and twospaced side walls. The verticallygrooved wall or wall panel and the grooved ceiling or ceiling panel aremade of wood, or a material having generally similar characteristics asto penetrability, bearing strength, and the like.

Still more specifically, the invention contemplates a fixture which isattached by embedding the ends of a generally flat, elongated supportingplate thereon in the side walls of the desired groove. Thus, the fixturemay be attached to the wall or ceiling without marring same in any way.If desired, the fixture may subsequently be removed without any visibleevidence that it was ever attached.

The supporting plate has a width less than the width of the groove inwhich it is to be installed and a length greater than the width of thegroove, whereby the plate may be inserted into the groove into a firstposition wherein the plate is oriented longitudinally of the groove andgenerally parallel to the inner wall thereof, and whereby the plate maythen be rotated about an axis generally perpendicular thereto into asecond position wherein the plate is oriented transversely of the grooveand generally parallel to the inner wall thereof and wherein the ends ofthe plate are embedded in the side walls of the groove in a planeadjacent and generally parallel to the inner wall of the groove.Projecting from one side of the supporting plate, substantially midwaybetween the ends thereof, is a shank member to which is 3,476,344Patented Nov. 4, 1969 connected a load carrying member suitable for'thetype of load to be supported. V v

A wall fixture of the foregoing general nature is disclosed in PatentNo. 3,313,509, granted Apr 11, 1 967 to John I. Lockert. In theLockertwall fixture, the hereinbefore-mentioned second position of thesupporting plate is in its final position. Thus, the supporting plate,in its final position, is oriented substantially vertically adjacent theinner wall of its groove. ,With this construction, therefore, anyvertical load applied to the load carrying member connected to thesupporting plate causes the supporting plate to tend to shear thematerial of the panel since the only bearing area provided by the plateis its relatively thin lower edge. If any substantial load is applied tothis wall fixture, the vertical supporting plate may shear its waydownwardly along a path generally parallel to the inner wall of thegroove. Also, if the. shear stress applied to the material of the panelis generally parallel to the grain of a wooden panel, the panel maysplit adjacent the side walls of the groove. In such a case, if thegrain of the wood extends downwardly and forwardly, the supporting platemay even slice its way downwardly and forwardly out of the wood.

SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF INVENTION With the foregoing background, theprimary object of the invention is to provide a wall or ceiling fixturewherein one side of the supporting plate faces at least generallydownwardly, instead of horizontally, to provide it with a relativelylarge bearing area in engagement with the material of the panel.Preferably, the supporting plate is substantially horizontal in itsoperative position so that it is provided with a downwardly facingbearing area substantially equal to the sum of the areas of the ends ofthe plate which are embedded in the side walls of the groove.

With the foregoing construction, there is no tendency for the supportingplate to shear its way downwardly and, accordingly, the supporting plateis capable of sustaining much heavier loads, which are importantfeatures of the invention.

The foregoing relatively large, downwardly facing, hearing area for thesupporting plate may be achieved in the ceiling fixture of the inventionmerely by rotating the supporting plate about an axis generallyperpendicular thereto into the second position hereinbefore discussed,which is an important feature.

An important object in connection with the wall fixture of the inventionis to angularly displace the supporting plate, after it has been rotatedinto its second position, into a third position wherein it is orientedat a predetermined angle to the inner wall of the groove and has itsends embedded in the material of the panel in a plane extendingoutwardly from the inner wall of the groove at this predetermined angle,which is at least of the order of 45. With this construction, thesupporting plate is prevented from tending to shear the material of thepanel and is provided with a relatively large bearing area capable ofsustaining a substantial load, which are important features of theinvention.

More specifically, an important object of the invention is to provide awall fixture wherein: the shank member projects centrally from one sideof the plate and is oriented at an angle to the inner wall of the groovewhen the plate is in its second position, whereby the outer end of theshank member may be swung toward the inner wall of the groove so as toangularly displace the plate into its third position, wherein it isoriented at a predetermined angle to the inner wall of the groove and isembedded in the material of the panel in a plane extending outwardlyfrom the inner wall of the groove at such predetermined angle to providea relatively large bearing area; and wherein a load carrying member isconnected to the outer end of the shank member and is oriented at anangle to the shank member, and extends outwardly away from the innerwall of the groove when the supporting plate is in its third position.

Another object is to provide a fixture wherein the shank member isgenerally perpendicular to the supporting plate, and wherein the loadcarrying member connected to the outer end of the shank member isoriented at an angle of at least of the order of 45 to the shank member.

Another. and important object of the invention is to provide stop meanson either the shank member or the load carrying member for engagementwith the inner wall of the groove to prevent angular movement of thesupporting plate beyond its third position, wherein it faces generallydownwardly so that the embedded ends thereof provide it with arelatively large bearing area.

, Another and quite important object of the invention is to provide afixture of the foregoing nature wherein the stop means includes meansfor penetrating the inner wall of the groove when the supporting plateis in its third position, and to provide such a penetrating means havinga downwardly facing bearing area which acts in concert with thedownwardly facing bearing area provided by the ends of the supportingplate.

Still another object of the invention is to provide the supporting platewith a relatively sharp longitudinal edge capable of easily penetratingthe material of the panel upon angular displacement of the supportingplate from its second position into its third position.

The foregoing objects, advantages, features and results of the presentinvention, together with various other objects, advantages, features andresults thereof which will be evident to those skilled in this art inthe light of the present disclosure, may be attained with the exemplaryembodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing anddescribed in detail hereinafter.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING In the drawing:

FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 are fragmentary perspective views illustratingsuccessive steps in the installation of a wall fixture of the inventionin a vertical groove in a wall or wall panel;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are enlarged, fragmentary sectional views respectivelytaken along the arrowed lines 55 and 66 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view of a supportingplate and attached shank member of the fixture of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 5, but illustratinganother embodiment of a wall fixture of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIGS. 5 and 8, butillustrating still another embodiment of a wall fixture of theinvention;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated by thearrowed line 10-10 of FIG. 9; and

FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional view of a ceiling fixture of theinvention installed in a downwardly facing groove in a ceiling orceiling panel.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF INVENTION Referring initially toFIGS. 1 to 7 of the drawing, illustrated therein is a wall fixture ofthe invention for installation in a vertical groove 22 in a wall or wallpanel 24, the latter being formed of wood, or a material having similarcharacteristics.

The wall fixture 20 includes a generally fiat, elongated supportingplate 26 having a width slightly less than the width of the groove 22and having a length considerably greater than the width of the groove.Preferably, the length of the supporting plate is at least of the orderof twice the width thereof, its size being dependent on the load to besupported. As shown in FIG. 7, the supporting plate 26 is generallyairfoil shaped in transverse cross section and has a relatively sharplongitudinal edge 28, which will be referred to hereinafter as theforward edge of the supporting plate for a reason which will becomeapparent.

The wall fixture 20 also includes a shank member 30 which is locatedsubstantially midway between the ends of the supporting plate 26 andwhich projects substantially perpendicularly from one side 32 of thesupporting plate.

Projecting substantially perpendicularly from the shank member 30, andconnected to the outer end 34 thereof, is a load carrying member 36shown as terminating at its outer end in a portion 38 which is upturnedwhen the wall fixture is installed. The load carrying member 36 extendsin the direction of the width of the supporting plate 26 and issubstantially parallel to the side 32 thereof, the member 36 facing inthe same direction as the sharpened forward edge 28 of the supportingplate. In the particular construction illustrated, the wall fixture 20is of integral construction, i.e., all of the parts thereof are formedfrom the same piece of material.

Considering the manner in which the wall fixture 20 is attached to thewall panel 24, it is first oriented in the position shown in FIG. 1.Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the supporting plate 26 is inserted into thegroove 22 into a first position wherein the plate is orientedlongitudinally of the groove and is generally parallel to and inengagement with the inner wall of the groove. Subsequently, as shown inFIG. 3, the Wall fixture 20 is rotated through an angle of about an axisgenerally perpendicular thereto, i.e., about the axis of the shankmember 30, into a second position wherein the supporting plate isoriented transversely of the groove and generally parallel to the innerwall thereof and wherein the ends of the plate are embedded in the sidewalls of the groove in a plane adjacent and generally parallel to theinner wall of the groove. The direction in which the wall fixture 20 isrotated, in angularly displacing the supporting plate 26 from its firstposition into its second position, is such that the sharpened forwardedge 28 faces upwardly.

Finally, referring to FIG. 4 of the drawing, the wall fixture 20 isswung downwardly so that the outer end 34 of the shank member 30 isdisplaced toward and into engagement with the inner wall of the groove22, the shank member now lying entirely within the groove and inengagement with the inner wall thereof. As this is done, the supportingplate 26 is angularly displaced, about an axis extending lengthwisethereof, into a third position wherein it is oriented substantiallyhorizontally. The sharpened forward edge 28 of the supporting platepenetrates and moves upwardly and forwardly through the material of thepanel 24 adjacent the side walls of the groove 22 to permit this, theaction of the sharpened edge being a cutting action to preventsplitting. As will be apparent from FIG. 5, the outer end 34 of theshank member 30, and, in fact the entire length of the shank member, areseated against the inner wall of the groove 22 to serve as a stop meanspreventing angular displacement of the supporting plate 26 beyond itsthird position.

As will be apparent, with the foregoing construction for the wallfixture 20, the side 32 of the supporting plate 26 is substantiallyhorizontal and faces downwardly so that the areas of the ends of thesupporting plate in engagement with the material of the wall panel 24 onopposite sides of the groove 22 provide a large bearing area resistingdownward movement of the supporting plate under the influence of adownward load applied to the load carrying member 36. It will be notedthat the vertical stress developed in the material of the wall panel 24on opposite sides of the groove 22 therein is a compressive stress,there being no shear stress applied to the panel 24 in the verticaldirection. This factor, combined with the large downwardly facingbearing area provided by the substantially horizontal supporting plate26, renders the wall fixture 20 capable of sustaining a load much higherthan can be sustained with a small bearing area acting in downwardshear.

As best shown in FIG. 6, the width of the shank member 30, and width ofthe portion of the load carrying member 36 within the groove 22, aresubstantially equal to, but slightly less than, the width of the groove,so that these parts fit snugly within the groove to stabilize the wallfixture 20 laterally in the horizontal direction.

The particular construction illustrated for the wall fixture 20 rendersit suitable for use as a hook from which to suspend a load, or as ashelf bracket capable of use with at least one additional, horizontallyspaced, wall fixture 20- to support a shelf, not shown.

Turning to FIG. 8 of the drawing, illustrated therein is another wallfixture 40 installable in the vertical groove 22 in the wall panel 24.The wall fixture 40 includes a supporting plate 46 similar. to thesupporting plate 26 and similarly equipped with a sharpened forward edge48. A similar shank member 50 projects from one side 52 of thesupporting plate 46, and the outer end 54 of the shank member 50 has aload carrying member 56 welded, or otherwise secured, thereto. In theparticular construction illustrated, the load carrying member 56 is avertical plate terminating in an upturned portion 58, the configurationof the load carrying member 56 being such as to support a shelf, notshown.

-An important feature of the wall fixture 40 is that the shank member 50terminates in a' stop surface 60 which abuts the'inner wall of thegroove 22 to prevent angular displacement of the supporting plate 46beyond its third position, i.e., beyond the position thereof shown inFIG. 8. The stopsurface 60 is provided with a projecting blade 62 whichpenetrates the inner wall of the groove 22 and whichhas a downwardlyfacing area of substantial size in engagement with thematerial of thepanel 24. The blade 62 thus provides an additional downwardly-facingbearing'area which supplements thedownwardly-facing bearing areaprovidedby the supporting plate 46, thereby rendering the wall fixture 40capable'of sustaining an even higher load. Preferably, the blade 62 issubstantially coextensive with the groove 22, in the direction of thewidth of the groove, to obtain as large a supplementary bearing area aspossible.

The procedure in installing the wall fixture 40 is identical to thathereinbefore described in connection with the wall fixture 20.Consequently, a further description is not required.

'Turning'to FIG. 9 of the drawing, illustrated therein is another wallfixture 70 for installation in the vertical groove 22 in the wall panel24. The wall fixture 70 includes a supporting plate 76 similar to thesupporting plate 26 and similarly provided with a sharpened forward edge78. A longitudinally centered. shank member 80 projects generallyperpendicularly from the side 82 of the supporting plate 76 andterminates at its outer end 84in a load carrying member 86 which makesan angle at least of the order of 45 with the shank member 80. In theparticular construction illustrated, the entire wall fixture 70 isformed of a single length of metal, and an extensionof the load carryingmember 86, which is generally horizontal when the wall fixture isinstalled, extends upwardly, and is then doubled back downwardly, toform an .upstanding loop 88. This loop is adapted to. fit into avertical hole 90 in a shelf 92 one edge of which rests on the loadcarrying member 86. With this construction, the shelf 92 is restrainedagainst horizontal movement by the loop 88, as well as being supportedby the load carrying member 86.

The single length of metal of which the Wall fixture 70 is made is alsodoubled back under the load carrying member 86, and terminates in a stopportion 94 which abuts the inner wall of the groove 22 to preventangular displacement of the supporting plate 76 beyond its thirdposition, i.e., beyond the position thereof shown in FIG. 9 of thedrawing. The stop portion 94 terminates in a rearwardly projecting blade96 similar to the blade 62 of the wall fixture 40 and serving the samefunction.

The wall fixture 70 is installed in the groove 22 in the wall panel 24in the same manner as the wall fixture 20, so that a detaileddescription is not required. It will be noted that since the loadcarrying member 86 makes an angle of less than with the shank member 80,the supporting plate 76, in its third position, makes an angle of lessthan 90 with the vertical, such angle being at least of the order of45". Consequently, the downwardlyfacing bearing area provided by theembedded ends of the supporting plate 76 is not the full area of theembedded ends, but is the downwardly projected area thereof. However,such bearing area is nevertheless relatively large and renders the wallfixture 70' capable of sustaining a high load, particularly since thedownwardly-facing bearing area provided by the supporting plate 76 issupplemented by that of the blade 96.

Turning to FIG. 11, illustrated therein is a ceiling fixture 100installed in a downwardly-facing horizontal groove 102 in a ceiling orceiling panel 104. The ceiling fixture 100 has in common with the wallfixtures 20, 40 and 70 the principle of providing a largedownwardlyfacing bearing area for compressive engagement with thematerial of the panel 104.

More particularly, the ceiling fixture 100 includes a supporting plate106 similar to the supporting plate 26. A longitudinally centered shankmember 110 projects generally perpendicularly from one side 112 of theplate 106. The shank member 110 terminates at its outer end 115 in aload carrying member 116 terminating in a hooklike end having a loadcarrying portion 118 oriented nearly perpendicularly to the shank member110.

To install the ceiling fixture 110, the supporting plate 106 is insertedupwardly into the groove 102, with the supporting plate orientedlongitudinally of the groove, until the supporting plate engages theinner, i.e., upper wall of the groove, the supporting plate being in aplane parallel to the inner wall of the groove under such conditions.Then, the ceiling fixture 100 is turned 90, about an axis perpendicularthereto, until the supporting plate 106 is perpendicular to the groove102 so that its ends are embedded in the side walls of the groove. Thiscorresponds to the second position of the supporting plate 26 of thewall fixture 20, i.e., the position shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing. Ifdesired, the angular and positional relationships between the shankmember 110 and the load carrying portion 118 are such that thesupporting plate 106 is angularly displaced slightly about an axisextending longitudinally thereof in positioning the load carryingportion 118 directly beneath the supporting plate. This results inorienting the supporting plate 106 at a slight angle to the horizontal,as shown in FIG. 11, so as to firmly secure it in place in thehorizontal direction.

As will be apparent, the ceiling fixture 100 provides a relatively largedownwardly-facing bearing area in compressive engagement with thematerial of the ceiling panel 104, due to the fact that the embeddedends of the supporting plate face generally downwardly. The ceilingfixture 100 is capable of sustaining a substantial load,

although not as high a load as the wall fixture 20, for

example, because of the fact that there is nothing analogous to the stopmeans provided by the shank member 30 to prevent the ceiling fixture 100from swinging somewhat in the plane of the groove 102.

Thus, as will be apparent from the foregoing, the present inventionprovides wall and ceiling fixtures all capable of supporting substantialloads through the use of plates having ends which are embedded in sidewalls of grooves and which have large downwardly-facing bearing areasapplying compressive stresses to the materials of the panel in which thegrooves are formed. The basic load carrying capacity provided in thismanner can be supplemented as hereinbefore discussed in connection withthe wall fixtures 20, 40 and 70, and particularly the wall fixtures 40and 70.

Although exemplary embodiments of the invention have been disclosedherein for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that variouschanges, modifications and substitutions may be incorporated in suchembodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a fixture for attachment to a panel provided with a groove havingan inner wall and side walls, the combination of:

(a) a generally fiat, elongated supporting plate having a width lessthan the width of the groove and a length greater than the width of thegroove, whereby said plate may be inserted into the groove into a firstposition wherein said plate is oriented longitudinally of the groove andgenerally parallel to the inner wall thereof, and whereby said plate maythen be rotated about an axis generally perpendicular thereto into asecond position wherein said plate is oriented transversely of thegroove and generally parallel to the inner wall thereof and wherein saidplate is embedded in the material of the panel in a plane adjacent andgenerally parallel to the inner Wall of the groove;

(b) a shank member projecting from one side of said plate and orientedat an angle to the inner wall of the groove when said plate is in saidsecond position, whereby the outer end of said shank member may be swungtoward the inner wall of the groove so as to angularly displace saidplate into a third position wherein it is oriented at a predeterminedangle to the inner wall of the groove and is embedded in the material ofthe panel in a plane extending outwardly from the inner wall of thegroove at said predetermined angle; and

(c) a load carrying member connected to said outer end of said shankmember and oriented at an angle to said shank member, and extendingoutwardly away from the inner wall of the groove when said plate is insaid third position.

2. A fixture according to claim 1 including stop means on one of saidmembers and engageable with the inner wall of the groove for preventingangular movement of said plate beyond said third position thereof.

3. A fixture as defined in claim 2 wherein said shank member is locatedcentrally of said plate in the direction of the length thereof.

4. A fixture as set forth in claim 3 wherein said shank member projectsgenerally perpendicularly from said one side of said plate, and whereinsaid load carrying member is oriented at an'angle of at least of theorder of 45 to said shank member.

5. A fixture according to claim 4 wherein said load carrying member isgenerally perpendicular to said shank member.

6. A fixture as defined in claim 3 wherein said stop means includesmeans for penetrating the inner wall of the groove when said plate is insaid third position.

7. A fixture as set forth in claim 3 wherein one longitudinal edge ofsaid plate is sharpened to penetrate the material of the panel uponangular displacement of said plate from said second position into saidthird position.

8. In combination with a panel provided with a groove having an innerwall and side walls, a fixture attached to said panel, and including:

(a) a generally fiat, elongated supporting plate having a width lessthan the width of said groove and a length greater than the width ofsaid groove, the ends of said supporting plate being embedded in saidside walls of said groove, respectively, and the plane of said platebeing oriented at an angle of at least of the order of 45 to thevertical, whereby one side of said plate faces at least generallydownwardly to provide a relatively large bearing area in engagement withthe material of said panel; (b) a shank member projecting from said oneside of said plate and located centrally of the length of said plate;and (c) a load carrying member connected to the outer end of said shankmember and oriented at an angle to said shank member, and spacedoutwardly from said groove.

9. A combination as defined in claim 8 wherein said plate is orientedsubstantially horizontally and faces substantially directly downwardly.

10. A combination as set forth in claim 9 wherein said shank member issubstantially perpendicular to said one side of said plate and whereinsaid load carrying member is substantially perpendicular to said shankmember.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/ 1961 Inamsley 248-341 4/1967Lockert 248-224 X US. Cl. X.R.

